Differences and Similarities Between the First and the Second City Newspapers in the USA

For citation: Pashaeva Y.F. (2017) Razlichiya i skhodstva mezhdu «pervymi» i «vtorymi» gorodskimi gazetami SshA [Differences and Similarities Between the First and the Second City Newspapers in the USA]. Mediaskop 1. (in Russian). Available at: http://www.mediascope.ru/2292

© Yana F. Pashaeva
PhD Student at the Chair of Media Theory and Economics, Editor at Radio Station "Kommersant FM", Faculty of Journalism, Lomonosov Moscow State University (Moscow, Russia), yanapashaeva@gmail.com

Abstract

The author compares the leading and the second-largest-circulating newspapers in three U.S. cities, where competition between dailies still exists. The research represents the results of the content analysis of newspapers from Chicago, Boston and Los-Angeles. The purpose of study is to reveal how two major city dailies can both hold strong positions in a local market and to understand, if the one city really needs two competitive newspapers. The author examines the competition between broadsheets and tabloids (Chicago TribuneandChicago Sun-Times; Boston Globe and Boston Herald), as well as the competition between dailies of the same formats (broadsheets Los Angeles Timesand Los Angeles Daily News). Also the research shows how political views of newspapers affect the competition. There were analyzed around 2500 news stories. The author considers story topics, an origin of news, a geographical focus, genres, political orientation. As a result there were found a lot of content differences between two papers of one city. Competitive dailies share few stories − most of news they publish are different. Exclusive stories help them to stand out. At the same time readers get better local news coverage with having two dailies.

Keywords: American daily newspapers, competition, content analysis, broadsheet, tabloid.

References

Beam R.A. (2003) Content Differences between Daily Newspapers with Strong and Weak Market Orientations. Journalism & Mass Communication Quarterly 80: 368−390.

Lacy S. (1989) A model of demand for news: Impact of competition on newspaper content. Journalism and Mass Communication Quarterly 66 (1): 40−48.

Pashaeva Ya.F. (a) (2016) Model' soderzhaniya gazety megapolisa v usloviyakh pryamoy konkurentsii (na primere goroda Chikago) [Content Model of Newspaper in Megapolis under Conditions of Direct Competition (the example of Chicago city]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 10, Zhurnalistika. № 4. C. 81−104.

Pashaeva Ya.F. (b) (2016) Osobennosti kontenta ezhednevnykh gazet v gorodakh s konkuriruyushchimi izdaniyami (na primere Bostona) [Characteristics of Daily Newspapers' Content in the Cities with Competing Publications (the example of Boston)]. Vestnik Vyatskogo gosudarstvennogo gumanitarnogo universiteta 7: 77−85.

Rarick G., Hartman В. (1966) The effects of competition on one daily newspaper's content. Journalism Quarterly 43: 459–463.

Solomonov Yu.Yu. (2003) Regional'naya pressa Frantsii. Istoriya i sekrety uspekha ezhednevnykh gazet [Regional Press in France. History and Formula for Success of Daily Newspapers]. Moscow: RIP-kholding Publ.

Svitich L.G., Smirnova O.V., Shiryaeva A.A., Shkondin M.V. (a) (2015) Gazety srednikh i malykh gorodov Rossii v 2010-kh gg. (rezul'taty oprosa redaktorov i zhurnalistov) [Newspapers of Medium-sized and Small Cities of Russia in 2010s (Results of the survey of editors and journalists)]. Moscow: Faculty of Journalism, Moscow St. Univ. Publ.

Svitich L.G., Smirnova O.V., Shiryaeva A.A., Shkondin M.V. (2016) Kommunikativnye kharakteristiki kontenta gorodskikh gazet (po rezul'tatam kontent-analiza gazet srednikh i malykh gorodov) [Communicative Characteristics of City Newspapers' Content (based on the results of content-analysis of newspapers in middle-sized and small cities]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 10: Zhurnalistika 1: 5–30.

Svitich L.G., Smirnova O.V., Shiryaeva A.A., Shkondin M.V. (c) (2015) Soderzhatel'no-tematicheskaya struktura gorodskikh gazet (kontent-analiticheskoe issledovanie) [Contensive Thematic Structure of City Newspapers (content analytical research)]. Vestnik Moskovskogo universiteta. Seriya 10: Zhurnalistika 6: 64–81.

Svitich L.G., Smirnova O.V., Shiryaeva A.A., Shkondin M.V. (b) 2015 Zhanry publikatsiy v gorodskoy gazette [Genres of Publications in a City Newspaper]. Vestnik Volzhskogo universiteta imeni V. N. Tatishcheva 4: 44–50.

Timofeeva A.V. Gazetnaya gruppa «Vestdoyche al'gemayne tsaytung»: Ot regional'nogo izdatel'stva do mezhdunarodnogo mul'timediakontserna: avtoref. dis. … kand. filol. nauk [Newspaper Group Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung: From Regional Publishing House to International Multimedia Concern: abstract of PhD philol. sci. diss.]. Moscow, 2003.

Vartanova E.L. (1997) Severnaya model' v kontse stoletiya. Pechat', TV i radio stran Severnoy Evropy mezhdu gosudarstvennym i rynochnym regulirovaniem [Northern Model at the End of the Century. Print, TV and Radio in the Countries of the Northern Europe Between State and Market Regulation]. Moscow: Moscow St. Univ. Publ.

Vershinina V.K. Gazeta «Saarbryukker tsaytung» kak tip regional'noy pressy Germanii: avtoref. dis. … kand. filol. nauk [Newspaper Saarbrücker Zeitungas a Type of Regional Press of Germany: abstract of PhD philol. sci. diss.]. Moscow, 2006.

Willoughby W. (1955) Are Two Competing Dailies Necessarily Better than One. Journalism Quarterly 32: 197–204.